diff --git a/net/ethtool/netlink.c b/net/ethtool/netlink.c
index 38b44c0291b1..96f4180aabd2 100644
--- a/net/ethtool/netlink.c
+++ b/net/ethtool/netlink.c
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ int ethnl_ops_begin(struct net_device *dev)
 	if (dev->dev.parent)
 		pm_runtime_get_sync(dev->dev.parent);
 
-	if (!netif_device_present(dev)) {
+	if (!netif_device_present(dev) ||
+	    dev->reg_state == NETREG_UNREGISTERING) {
 		ret = -ENODEV;
 		goto err;
 	}